Economy minister hails employment figures

Hungary's rate of unemployment has not been as low as 5.1 percent since the political regime change of 1989, Mihaly Varga, the economy minister, said on public television M1 on Thursday night.

Source:Getty / Europress

Varga said that the European Union's unemployment rate was 8.5 percent.

Commenting on fresh statistics, Varga said, that the government "still needs to work" on the employment figures, which, at 66.4 percent, were below the EU's 72-73 percent. He added, however, that another 100,000 new jobs would ensure full employment in the country. He noted that full employment practically meant an unemployment rate of 2.5-3 percent.

Varga also said that nationwide there are some 50,000 vacant positions, which means that the government needs to promote training in those trades.

Commenting on a recent call from employers, suggesting that labour should be imported from outside the European Union, Varga said that "employers should be listened to but Hungary's 230,000 unemployed must be given precedence".